Paul Larkin

An updated weather warning has been issued for Northumberland for today and tomorrow and the picture looks grim.

The Met Office has maintained the yellow 'Be Aware' warning as more rain sweeps across north Northumberland into this evening, but a new alert will be in force tomorrow which extends its area to include more or less the entire county.

Five Environment Agency amber alerts were placed on rivers in Northumberland yesterday and they remain in place. There are currently In England and Wales, there are currently 36 flood warnings in place, where flooding is expected and immediate action is required. There are currently 27 red flood warnings (flooding is expected; immediate action required) and 156 amber flood alerts (flooding is possible; be prepared) in force.

Today's warning, issued at 11.08am, predicts: "Further spells of rain are likely today across Northumberland and parts of the Borders, possibly turning heavier again during the evening. Please be aware of the risk of localised flooding, particularly this evening. This is an update to cease this warning at the end of today, although a separate warning will be issued for Tuesday."

The chief forecaster added: "A frontal system will affect north-east England and south east Scotland during today, becoming more active again during the evening. Rainfall totals through this period are expected to reach 10-20 mm widely with 30 mm possible over the Cheviots."

The Met Office yellow weather warning for today and tomorrow.

Tomorrow, the rain is expected to become more persistent and at times heavy. With the ground already saturated, there is a continued risk of localised flooding.

The alert, issued at 11.38am, covers most of the North East and is in place until 11.55pm tomorrow.

The chief forecaster said: "A frontal system will become slow moving across the warning area during Tuesday, bringing spells of rain, some heavy, particularly over high ground exposed to the fresh to strong easterly winds. There is uncertainty about the exact location of the heavier rain, but totals are expected to reach 15-25 mm fairly widely, with as much as 40-50 mm over some high ground.